


scratch my name on your arm with a fountain pen

by xslytherclawx



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 1980s, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Muggle Life, Regulus Black Lives, Sirius Black Fest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2020-12-15 23:04:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21026213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx/pseuds/xslytherclawx
Summary: Sirius Black had really only gone to a Muggle bookshop to spite his brother; he certainly hadn't expected things to end up this way.





	scratch my name on your arm with a fountain pen

**Author's Note:**

> This is my submission for the 2019 Sirius Black Fest!  
My prompt was: "Sirius gets a bunch of muggle friends in a gay bookshop, but pretending to be a muggle isn't easy, and keeping up with the politics is harder ( who the fuck is Thatcher??)" from Abed
> 
> This initially spiralled WAY out of what I could manage before the deadline, so this is a stripped down version of what ended up being a 16k WIP - this is a standalone oneshot, unrelated to any existing works, and with its own story arc and ending.  
Regarding a lot of the exposition that was cut off, you'll find additional notes at the bottom – you can read those beforehand, or you can avoid potential spoilers and jump right in!
> 
> Remus goes by "RJ" in this. There is an explanation for that, which you might surmise on your own (and feel free to comment with your thoughts).

It was strange, really, how in less than a year, the bookshop had sort of become his home. Really, it wasn’t as if Sirius had ever frequented bookshops before (that had always been more Regulus’s speed), much less Muggle ones. Sure, he’d gotten excellent marks in school, but it was hardly as if he’d been _ bookish _ in any sense of the word. Hell, he didn’t really read books _ now, _ and yet…

When he got in, RJ wasn’t there yet, but Werner and Carol were standing by the feminism section, and they waved him over.

“Werner’s got a boyfriend,” Carol said in lieu of greeting. She was wearing her leather jacket, and Sirius noticed a new patch – a hot pink double venus – but what really caught his attention were her words.

“What?”

“I wouldn’t say _ boyfriend…” _ Werner said, blushing slightly.

“You’ve shagged him over a dozen separate times, _ and _ you made him dinner last night. _ You. _ You _ never _ cook; I didn’t even think you knew how to work your stove.”

“I didn’t _ make _ him dinner,” Werner said. “I hired a personal chef to cook us dinner. I didn’t want to burn my flat down.”

“That’s even more damning, mate,” Sirius said.

“He’d have been able to tell if I’d ordered takeaway,” Werner said. “I had the chef prepare German food; none of you lot know how to make German food.”

“Please tell me you didn’t import a chef from West Germany,” Carol said.

“All right,” Werner said. “I won’t.”

Carol exchanged a look with Sirius. It wasn’t as if neither of them knew that Werner (and by extension, his family) was extremely wealthy, but even so.

“And you cared enough to do that.”

“My parents never taught me how to cook,” Werner said.

“You and most other men,” Carol said.

“It’s not because I’m a _ man _– they never taught my sister how to cook, either – it’s because, except for important holidays and some snacks, my own mother never even cooked. We had a chef at home.”

“Was that the same chef you flew out to cook for some bloke who isn’t your boyfriend?” Carol asked.

Werner blushed. “I don’t have to answer that. And he’s not my boyfriend.”

“Regardless,” Sirius said, because he knew how Carol could get when she got like this. “You _ are _ seeing someone?”

“Seeing someone, yes. Steady boyfriend, no.”

“But you _ never _ do that,” Carol said. “I can only ever remember you dating Bruce.”

Werner shrugged. “I tend to _ prefer _ casual, but you’re really acting as if I’ve never _ dated _ anyone before.”

“You’ve dated few enough people that you dating someone new is remarkable,” Carol said.

“Piss off,” Werner said. 

Sirius couldn’t see a better chance, so he decided to ask, “Have either of you talked to Ruth or Suz lately?”

Carol shook her head. “I’ll see them at trivia on Thursday, though.”

“Why?” Werner asked.

“No reason,” Sirius said. “Just curious.” He didn’t think Goldstein had actually _ told _ either of them who he was, but he didn’t want to take that risk; he had to tell RJ himself. He couldn’t let him find out thirdhand.

“Bruce and I are going out for a pint tonight,” Werner said. “But I dunno if Ruth or Suz will be there. You’re welcome to join us.”

“Will your boyfriend be there?” Sirius asked.

Werner shot him a dirty look. _ “Not _ my boyfriend.”

“Sure,” Carol said. “We look forward to meeting him.”

“I really can’t deal with you two,” Werner said. “I’ll see you tonight.” He went to leave, but stopped on the way out to say: “And _ no, _ the bloke I’m seeing will _ not _ be there.”

“We’ll see about that,” Carol called after him. She turned to Sirius. “You going to the protest this weekend?”

Sirius hadn’t been aware there was a protest. “Protesting what?”

“The royal wedding,” Carol said, as if it were obvious. And as she said it, he vaguely remembered hearing her talk about it with RJ, Ruth, and Suz. Not that he’d really understood what was going on. “They’re spending hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of pounds when we’ve got over three million people who’re unemployed, and Maggie’s doing her utmost to fuck over the poor and minorities – including us. Because you can’t honestly think she gives a shit about you for being white and Christian and posh – you’re still gay, and for people like her, that overrides everything else.”

Sirius really still had no idea what she was talking about – he hadn’t even been aware that there had been a royal wedding. But he shrugged, as if he did. “All right. I haven’t got any other plans.”

“Great!” Carol said. “I’ll bring a flyer by tomorrow. But now…” She cast a glance toward the front of the store. “I believe _ your _ boyfriend has just come in for his shift, so I think that’s my cue to go back to work myself.” She winked and went up to the front counter to buy her book, and then left the store.

Sirius tactfully waited for the morning cashier to leave before approaching the counter. “Hello,” he said.

“Hello.” RJ kissed him. “Did I miss anything?” 

“Nah,” Sirius lied. This wasn’t the time to tell him that he was pretty sure he’d been found out – RJ didn’t even know he was a wizard! Besides, he was more focused on how wan RJ looked, now that he saw him up close. “Parents wear you out?”

RJ gave him a tight smile. “Something like that.”

“Come over mine tonight. I’ll draw you a bath and suck your cock.”

“How am I meant to refuse that?” RJ asked. He still looked exhausted and a bit ill, but there was a spark in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

“Well, Werner does want to go out for a pint tonight, but we could do both. Pint first, bath and blow job later?”

“Honestly, I’m probably a bit too knackered to go out,” RJ said. “You can go if you’d like.”

“No,” Sirius said. “It’s all right. It’s really just going to be Werner and Bruce and Carol. If you’re not going, I’d rather stay home with you.” What had _ happened _ to him? He’d really rather stay in than go out?

“If you’re sure,” RJ said.

“I am,” Sirius said. “Besides, Carol tried to talk politics with me today – apparently, I’m the de facto politician when you’re not here.”

“I can loan you some books that might help.” RJ’s tone was dry, but Sirius couldn’t tell if he was making fun of him or not. 

“Can’t you just tell me?”

“I _ could,” _ RJ said. “But where’s the fun in that?”

* * *

RJ came over around seven, and Sirius was quick to say goodbye to James and stowe the mirror under the sofa before he answered the door. RJ still looked exhausted – maybe even more than he had during the day, but he smiled when Sirius opened the door.

“I brought curry,” RJ said, holding up the takeaway bags.

“A man after my own heart.” He’d grown fond of curry since he’d started hanging around Muggles. He stepped aside to let RJ in. 

“I was serious about drawing you a bath and sucking your cock, you know,” Sirius said.

“I know,” he said. “I just think maybe we should eat first.”

After a bit of bickering, Sirius agreed to eat first. It really had more to do with how much he liked curry and how exhausted RJ still looked than it did with any lack of desire to care for him. 

They sat at the tiny table Sirius had bought for the kitchen – his flat was still lacking a proper dining room, and he took a sort of perverse joy in that. His parents would fucking hate it.

RJ told him all about his visit with his parents – his mum had made his favourite dinner (“Really, the only good Jewish food in London that I’ve found is way in North London – unless I can convince Ruth to invite me over for Shabbos dinner when she’s having someone else over.”), his father had made a point to spend time with him (“Which really just means we watched telly together.”), his mum had needled him about finding a steady relationship (“Of course, I didn’t really want to open _ that _ can of worms – I was only there for a few days, and I know how my mum can get.”), and his father had bothered him again about a proper career (“It’s not that I think I’ll be at the bookshop forever, but – there are certain complications that prevent people from wanting to hire me, as he’s well aware.”).

“I did have a good time, though,” RJ said. “But I’m _ quite _ glad to be back in London. My parents don’t even live in Cardiff anymore; they’re in the Welsh countryside now. And of course… Wales doesn’t have you.”

“I’m glad to have you back,” Sirius said. “I missed you.”

RJ smiled. “I missed you, too.”

“Oh! You know what? I _ did _ just find out today that apparently Werner’s got a boyfriend.”

RJ’s brows shot up. “A boyfriend?”

“He says he’s not his _ boyfriend, _ but he admitted to flying in a private chef from West Berlin – which seems a bit strange to me, because if you’re going through the trouble of flying in a private chef, why not find a French one? It’s not as if Werner can’t afford it. His flat alone is _ obscene.” _

“I know,” RJ said. “I was at his Halloween party, remember. Was that – did he ever tell you if that artwork was _ real? _I’ve always been too afraid to ask.”

“I think so,” he said. “Some of it, at least. He said he has a Warhol and a Haring, and a lot’s local artists.”

“I’m surprised he and Bruce lasted as long as they did,” RJ said. “Bruce is the first one in his family to go to uni, and then there’s Werner…”

Sirius shrugged. “Maybe the sex was just that great.”

RJ laughed. “Maybe. But – there’s a lot more to relationships than sex.”

“I wouldn’t really know,” Sirius admitted. “I couldn’t quite date anyone properly while my parents were alive – being disowned would have been a kindness I couldn’t be convinced they’d have shown me.”

RJ reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I think you’re doing just fine.”

Sirius leaned across the table and kissed him. To think he was here now, when this had all started because his stupid brother had said something to annoy him enough to prove him wrong. 

Well, he’d certainly proven him wrong.

**Author's Note:**

> So, first and foremost: this is a canon divergent AU.  
It's divergent in the following ways: Sirius was a Slytherin, Regulus never joined the Death Eaters, Remus wasn't allowed to attend Hogwarts, Lily never married James (so Alice and Frank were the two who died, and Neville is the Boy Who Lived), and Snape never turned (because Lily was never in danger) so he's in Azkaban.  
Most of this isn't relevant AT ALL to this oneshot (except for Regulus not dying, which is tagged, and Remus not going to Hogwarts), but it may help set the scene.
> 
> This is a oneshot, but I may, eventually, expand upon this later, so feel free to subscribe if you'd like! I liked this AU a lot, and had a lot of fun with it, so returning to it later is definitely an option.


End file.
